On the recordJune 3, 2011
As we know, the War Powers Act specifically forbids Armed Forces from engaging in military action in foreign lands for more than 60 days without congressional authorization or the use of military force or a declaration of war. We have been actively fighting now for 77 days. This is not just about our mission in Libya. And let me just say that I think our President, frankly, has done a commendable job in handling the very complex range of foreign policy issues, but it is about any President, any administration. It is not about that; it is about standing up for congressional power granted in the Constitution. As our ranking member said, the Kucinich amendment is the amendment that addresses this head- on in a very honest and direct way. So we should reject this politically motivated resolution. It is a resolution that has just come up. We asked again the Speaker and majority leader on March 30 to conduct a debate and an up-or-down vote. We conclude in our letter that it is our position that the President has a constitutional obligation to seek specific statutory authority for offensive military action, as he should have done with regard to U.S. military engagement in Libya.
